“The usual martini and the usual Caesar salad and the usual strip steak, medium rare. And the usual haricots verts and fried onion rings.
“So,” Lance continued, stealing a slice of beef from Stone’s plate, “what are you going to do about the twins?”
“I was hoping you’d have some thoughts on that,” Stone said.
Dino handed Lance his folded sheet of paper. “Here’s a summary of their prison file.”
“I’ve already read the whole thing,” Lance said, brushing Dino’s paper away disdainfully with the back of his hand. “Discouraging, isn’t it?”
“That’s what Stone was just saying.”
“Don’t be discouraged, Stone,” Lance said.
“Why not?” Stone asked.
“There’s always a way.”
“What’s the way this time?”
“Well, you could hire Ed Rawls for the job. He might even give you his two-for-one rate.”
“My relationship with Ed is one of friendship, not hired killing.”
“He’s the only man I know who could take them out with one bullet through both heads.”
“As attractive as you make that sound, I’m not going to take that route.”
“Your decision, if you wish to shorten your own life.”
“Why would they want to kill me?”
“Maybe because you chased them down at the airport and blocked their takeoff until the police arrived.”
“Well, there is that,” Stone admitted. “That, and I just bought the Stone house in Maine out from under them.”
“I hope you used a corporate name.”
Stone winced. “That will be taken care of first thing tomorrow morning.”
“Don’t oversleep.”
Lance’s dinner arrived, and he set about catching up with Stone and Dino.
“Lance,” Dino said, “how is it you always know everything?”
“I employ thousands of field agents to keep me informed.” Lance was the director of the Central Intelligence Agency.
“Even in Maine?”
“Everywhere.”
“How can we stop the Stone twins from being paroled?” Stone asked.
“I don’t know,” Lance said. “What I do know is, it doesn’t matter if they’re not paroled.”
“Why not?”
“Because the newly seated governor of their state has already told his intimates that he’s going to pardon them, if they’re not paroled.”
“Why would the governor want to do that?”
“Two reasons: One, because he was at Yale with Caleb Stone, the boys’ father, his best friend, and, incidentally, your first cousin. And two, because he can, and he would do anything for his friend’s boys.”
“I’ve always thought that was a lousy reason to do things,” Stone said.
“Be that as it may,” Lance said.
6
Stone had finished breakfast in bed and was working on the Times crossword, trying not to think about the Stone twins, when his phone rang. He recognized the Virginia number immediately.
“Hello, there,” he said with enthusiasm.
“Hello, yourself,” Rocky replied.
“How goes your recovery?”
“Slowly. It’s rehab five days a week, and it hurts when I do that.”
“You have to, if you want a working body,” he advised.
“I know, and I will.”
“How’s your mom doing?”
“Not as well as I. Her drugs don’t work anymore. Her doctor won’t tell me how long she’s got, but a doctor friend tells me only a few weeks. As he put it, ‘Life is a river, and your mother has hit a waterfall.’ All they can do is keep her out of pain. It looks like I’ll be well just about the time she goes.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. I lost both my parents a long while back. They pretty much took care of each other, until Dad died, then she didn’t last long.”
“She’s still trying to take care of me,” Rocky said. “She’s making soup right now.”
“Do you miss work?”
“Funny you should mention that. Lance called me yesterday, told me to take my time and then . . .”
She didn’t finish the sentence. “And then, what?”
“He offered me a new job, running a department.”
“Good! What department?”
“Legislative affairs—liaising with Congress, both houses.”
“That sounds like a great leap forward,” Stone said, but he was feeling less enthusiastic than he was trying to seem.
“It’s a D.C. job, of course. I couldn’t handle it from New York. I don’t suppose you’d like to live in D.C.?”
Stone didn’t hesitate. “Good guess.” He’d already been offered a very nice position in D.C. and turned it down, in spite of the free house and limo service. And he couldn’t imagine living in the same city with both Holly and Rocky. “Are you going to accept his offer?”
“I already have,” Rocky said, “if with some big regrets.”
“I appreciate the compliment.”
“Mom still has the family apartment in Dupont Circle, so I’ll redo it and move in there when . . . when we’re done here.”
“So you won’t be coming back to New York?”
“No. I’m listing my apartment with a broker today.”
Oh, the finality of it, he said to himself.
“I’m going to work very hard at not missing you,” she said. “Goodbye, Stone.”
“Bye-bye, Rocky.” She hung up first.
Stone decided to feel sorry for himself until noon, then shake it off.
The phone rang again. “Good morning, Dino,” he said. “A little early for you, isn’t it?”
“I got a speech to make in L.A., and Viv is going to fly in from Hong Kong to meet me there.”
“Use my house,” Stone said.
“Hey, there’s an idea! I wish I’d thought of that.”
“I’ll call the Arrington and tell them to staff up. You can have Ben and Peter and the wives over for dinner.” These were their two sons.